Joel Stelly
Joel Stelly (born January 13, 1984) is a former American football player who most recently played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He attended Cecilia High School and the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where he spent his collegiate football career as place kicker and punter. Stelly is a Louisiana native, spending his youth in Lafayette, Louisiana.
| Born: | January 13, 1984 Lafayette, Louisiana |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Punter |
| College | Louisiana-Monroe |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2006 – 2009 | Chicago Bears |
| Career stats | |
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Professional career
The Chicago Bears acquired Stelly around the 2006 season. He spent some time at the Bears' and was then relocated to NFL Europa for development under the Bears after the 2006 season. He led the NFL with his 49.8 preseason average but that performance did not land him the starting position. He then returned to the Bears at the beginning of the 2007 season shadowing veteran punter Brad Maynard. He was released before the start of the 2009 in favor of veteran punter Brad Maynard. Upon release Stelly had tryouts with at least 10 teams but could not land a starting spot on a 52 man roster. Stelly had a profound collegiate career that he still to date ranks in the top 10 of NCAA punters with a career average of 46.3.